June 2, 2020 PUSD Update: Summer Learning, Meals & Budget News

Resource list of supplemental learning materials that you may want to use this summer to help your student synthesize learning. More

Parent Guides to Student Successpublished by the National PTA, listing essential skills in Math and Reading for Kindergarten through High School. You may want to review your child’s 2019-20 grade level guide. Emergency remote learning caused us to modify instruction, but we want to reassure you that with these skills, they are ready to move into their next grade and teachers will be ready to support them in their continued growth. Please click to access the Parent Guides to Student Success.

Free Summer Meals for Area ChildrenPUSD will continue to offer free breakfasts and lunches for children and youth 18 years old or younger this summer through the 2020 Summer Food Program. Summer meals are available at seven PUSD Grab & Go Food Centers and four community sites. More information

Make Your Voice Heard for SchoolsOur plans for the new school year are moving forward, with safety as a first priority and with our guiding principle as the equitable access to high-quality educational programs by all of our students. But this is complicated by the prospect of $15 million in reductions to our District’s budget next year.

Our advocacy is working. Late last week, the California State Senate issued a plan that would protect public schools against cuts to state funding even if federal dollars don’t come through. The California State Legislature is currently moving through budget hearings as the June 15 deadline to approve a budget nears.

Please use your voice now and contact the elected state officials listed below and share this message. It’s especially important to make the requests known to Governor Newsom. Every bit of advocacy helps support PUSD students.

June 1, 2020 Message from Supt. Brian McDonald About Recent Events

Dear PUSD Community,

Last week’s death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody shows us that the deep-seated biases that have existed in our country continue. To fix the persistent inequities that are so pervasive in our society, we must face them head-on. As an African American, as a father, and as an educator, my heart hurts for our nation, for all of us who have faced bias, and for Mr. Floyd and his family.

The COVID-19 crisis has further exposed the deep divide in our country along racial and socioeconomic lines.

Enough is enough. It is time for us as a community and as a country and make meaningful and impactful change. The solutions rest with us individually and collectively.

As we saw images of peaceful protests and violence over the weekend, my thoughts turned to our students and the questions they may have. It is important that we listen and respond with honesty, and recognize and address their feelings. As a community, we must help them learn, by our own example, to act peacefully against racism and bias by making sustaining changes. Although the school year officially ended for students last week, we have counseling staff available for our students to help them process what is taking place in many communities across the nation. To get help, please contact the PUSD Family Hotline at (626) 396-3680 or visit our website here.

We as a community must see the humanity in each other and live out the ideals of our country’s Declaration of Independence that states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”

One of the central guiding principles of the Pasadena Unified School District is equity – and the events in the news show the depth of emotion in our communities around this issue. The issues surrounding these events are complex and have deep roots, and we must resolve them.

Our children’s future depends on the actions we take today. We as a school system must do more, through our methods and actions, to ensure that every child and every person, regardless of their race or circumstance, will be lifted up. Then and only then will our society become one that is truly “out of many, one people.”

Take the 2020-2021 Family Survey!

Take the 2020-2021 Family Survey!

Parents/Guardians: To prepare plans for the new school year, we need your help. Please complete PUSD's 3-question survey about your preferences for the new school year given the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey closes June 7, 2020.Survey in EnglishEncuesta en Espanol.

May 24, 2020 PUSD Message: Family 2020-21 Survey

May 24, 2020

Dear PUSD Families, Staff, and Community:

I hope that you’re enjoying this sunny Memorial Day weekend with your loved ones.

Thursday, May 28 is the last day of school for students of the Pasadena Unified School District. The last few months have been a time of major adjustments and change as together we honored the Safer at Home public health orders and slowed the spread of COVID-19. This has truly been one of the most eventful years in the history of our District.

We’ll send you a formal end of the year message on Thursday, but for now, I would like to give you an update about a few things this week:

Family Survey for 2020-2021To prepare plans for the new school year, we need your help. We ask that each family complete a 3-question survey about your preferences for the new school year given the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to provide you with the very best options for your children in the new school year. Survey in EnglishEncuesta en Espanol.

The new school year begins on August 17, 2020 and we plan to offer in-person, virtual learning, and a blend of the two. Once we get your feedback, we will present a plan to the Board of Education in mid-June. From the beginning, this has been a rapidly changing situation.

PUSD Graduates Event June 24-26, 2020 #pusdgraduatesWe have taken extra care to make high school virtual graduations a special event that honors seniors who have worked so hard over their years in school and who now face a very different world than just three months ago. We are excited to celebrate their achievements and are confident that despite these very different circumstances, they will go off into the world and accomplish great things. It is our intention to have an in-person celebration when safety permits. Visit pusd.us/pusdgraduates. We’ll be adding more information in the coming days.

How PUSD is Keeping Schools SafePUSD has been awarded more than $11.4 million in grants to keep students and schools safe. Grant information

2020-2021 Online RegistrationPUSD is using an online registration for TK-12 grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Details here. To register for preschool, please contact the Early Childhood Education Program here or email earlychildeducation@pusd.us for information.

Student Meals Continue this SummerPUSD Food & Nutrition Services continues to offer free meals to children 18 and younger at seven Grab & Go Food Centers. PUSD serves prepackaged curbside breakfast and lunch weekdays from 9 - 11 a.m. The City of Pasadena offers lunch for students and their families on weekends. More information

Stay Connected this SummerWe’ll keep communicating with you this summer, so look for our emails, text and app alerts. Please continue to check our dedicated website at pusd.us/covid19 for the latest information or call the PUSD Family Hotline at 626.396.3680.

May 21, 2020 - How to Return Assigned PUSD Textbooks & Tech

How to Return Assigned PUSD Textbooks & Technology

The last day of the 2019-2020 school year is May 28.

The process for returning PUSD learning materials has been adjusted so that students can return books and technology devices at a curbside drive-through location, while still physically distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Officer’s Safer at Home Order allows this activity since the return of District property is considered essential.

Only students graduating or leaving PUSD need to return their technology devices.

Departing TK - 5th grade students will need to make an appointment with our Innovative Technology Services (ITS) department, in order to return textbooks, library books, classroom books, Chromebooks, hotspots, and chargers.

Departing 6th - 11th-gradestudents, andgraduating seniors, must return materials to their assigned school sites at an assigned day and time.

Because it’s important that we do not congregate, the schedule to return materials is staggered. A site-specific schedule will be provided. Each student/parent will be scheduled to drive through and return materials at a designated drop-off site. Your school will contact you with the exact times.

Departing TK - 5th grade students take your bag(s) to your appointment made with ITS.

Departing and graduating 6th - 12th grade students take the bag(s) to the Drive-Thru site at your scheduled time.

Please wear a face covering when you drive up to the site.

The school will provide each student/parent a list of books checked out by students. Some library books may have been left in classrooms when schools physically closed in March. Per Board Policy 6161-If students owe fines, librarians will notice in advance students through Destiny/Aeries/emails:

Fines can be placed in a sealed envelope and placed in a textbook bag

Please be sure to see site-specific options as communicated.

What happens if I don’t return an item?

Per Board Policy 6161, it is the student’s responsibility to return all assigned materials. We collect textbooks and other materials so that we can prepare them for use by other students. If you can’t locate an item, please email your school principal.

May 21, 2020 - Safety & In-Person Celebrations

The school year ends on May 28, and our schools are working on ways to celebrate our students while keeping the health and safety of our students, staff, and families as our top priority.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Officer’s Safer at Home Order prohibits all public and private gatherings. To limit the spread of COVID-19, the Order does not allow any exemptions for promotion and/or graduation gatherings of any type in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. This means all in-person promotion/graduation ceremonies, including the use of cars for drive-through parades, promotions/graduations, or celebrations (even if one student at a time) are considered public gatherings and are therefore prohibited.

Virtual ceremonies and celebrations are permitted and encouraged as a means of commemorating the end-of-the-year events for students and their families.

PUSD’s high school virtual graduation ceremonies will be broadcast on June 24-26, 2020. We are fully committed to celebrating our seniors with this online ceremony and will plan an in-person event when the Governor and public health authorities determine it is safe to do so.

We understand how disappointing it is for all our students to miss the normal end-of-year celebrations during this pandemic.

Updated May 21, 2020:

The school year ends on May 28, and our schools are working on ways to celebrate our students while keeping the health and safety of our students, staff, and families as our top priority.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Officer’s Safer at Home Order prohibits all public and private gatherings. To limit the spread of COVID-19, the Order does not allow any exemptions for promotion and/or graduation gatherings of any type in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. This means all in-person promotion/graduation ceremonies, including the use of cars for drive-through parades, promotions/graduations, or celebrations (even if one student at a time) are considered public gatherings and are therefore prohibited.

Virtual ceremonies and celebrations are permitted and encouraged as a means of commemorating the end-of-the-year events for students and their families.

PUSD’s high school virtual graduation ceremonies will be broadcast on June 24-26, 2020. We are fully committed to celebrating our seniors with this online ceremony and will plan an in-person event when the Governor and public health authorities determine it is safe to do so.

We understand how disappointing it is for all our students to miss the normal end-of-year celebrations during this pandemic.

May 17, 2020 PUSD Message

May 17, 2020

Dear PUSD Families, Staff, and Community:

Classified School Employee Week:May 17–23, 2020 is Classified School Employee Week. We celebrate the roles that classified employees have on the lives of students and in support of our schools. Classified employees support our students in food service, technology, as instructional aides, in school and district offices, maintenance and facilities, security, business, human resources, and much more.

Budget UpdateGovernor Newsom released the state’s revised May budget proposal for 2020-2021 that seeks to avoid permanent cuts to public education while dealing with the impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on the state’s economy. For PUSD this means that instead of facing a projected $35 million in reduction in state funding, we now estimate a $15 million reduction in state funding. We are examining in detail the revised budget and will continue to advocate on behalf of our students and educators in the coming weeks. Budgets are a reflection of values, and we are asking the state and federal governments to show their commitment to students and the future of this country.While reductions in PUSD’s budget are all but certain, we are determined to find ways to keep these as far away from classrooms as we possibly can while keeping intact the essential services that our students and families rely on. Our district has faced tough times before and emerged strong each time.

Each of you is working hard to keep learning and life going during this pandemic. I am so proud of the way PUSD has risen to the challenge during these extraordinary times, and I know that we will weather this storm together, and will be stronger than ever.

2020 PasadenaLEARNs Summer Exploration Program: In an effort to keep PUSD students and families safe during the COV-ID 19 pandemic, PasadenaLEARNs will not offer a face-to-face summer program. Beginning Monday, June 1, 2020 through Thursday, July 2, 2020, students can access daily reading activities, math games, enrichment activities with easy-to-follow instructions using items found around the house, interactive fitness challenges, and computer coding games on our website at www.pusd.us/learns In addition, students in grades 2-5 enrolled in LEARNs during the 2019-20 school year will continue to have access to Imagine Learning Literacy and Imagine Math online curriculum.

2020 PasadenaLEARNs Imagine Learning Literacy and Imagine Math Facts: Students in grades 2-5 who participated in 2019-20 PasadenaLEARNs After School Program will continue to have access to their Imagine Learning Literacy and Imagine Math Facts licenses through July 2020. Individualized learning plans allow students to continue to learn at their own pace during summer. Parent information on how to access licenses is here in English and Spanish and will be available on the LEARNs website at pusd.us/learns beginning Monday, June 1, 2020 through July 2, 2020.

Credit Recovery and Extended School Year (ESY) for eligible students will be offered remotely this summer.

2020-21 LEARNS Program ApplicationPre-enrollment applications for LEARNs for the 2020-2021 school year are currently available on your school's website. Once the completed application has been received, you will be contacted by the LEARNs Site Coordinator regarding your child's program enrollment status and next steps to complete the enrollment process. We look forward to seeing your child(ren) in the program!

2020-2021 Online RegistrationPUSD is using an online registration for TK-12 grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Details here. To register for preschool, please contact the Early Childhood Education Program here or email earlychildeducation@pusd.us for information.

Student MealsPUSD Food & Nutrition Services continues to offer free meals to children 18 and younger at seven Grab & Go Food Centers. PUSD serves prepackaged curbside breakfast and lunch weekdays from 9 - 11 a.m. The City of Pasadena offers lunch for students and their families on weekends. More information

Stay ConnectedPlease continue to check our dedicated website at pusd.us/covid19 for the latest information or call the PUSD Family Hotline at 626.396.3680.

May 13, 2020 is California's Day of the Teacher!

May 13, 2020 is California's Day of the Teacher!

May 13, 2020, is California’s Day of the Teacher and this year’s theme is California Teachers: Inspiring Generations.

Whether in person or at a distance during the global pandemic, the educators of the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) make a difference every day in the lives of our students. PUSD educators are inspiring the next generation who lead us into the future.

In appreciation of PUSD educators whose great work every day helps students succeed, United Teachers of Pasadena and the Pasadena Educational Foundation have mailed a $25 gift certificate from Chiquita Bonita Restaurant to more than 900 teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, speech pathologists, and psychologists.

Chiquita Bonita Restaurant proprietor and PUSD alumnus Tavo Serrano partnered with UTP and PEF to provide a discount on the certificates. Chiquita Bonita has served the Pasadena community for more than 37 years and Mr. Serrano attended PUSD’s Jefferson Elementary, Wilson Middle, and Blair High School.

Gift certificates may be used at any time and are redeemable for Chiquita Bonita takeout orders only at this time in compliance with state and local public health guidelines.

Please join us in thanking PUSD educators on May 13, California’s Day of the Teacher.

May 10, 2020 PUSD Message

May 10, 2020

Dear PUSD Families, Staff, and Community:

Happy Mother’s Day! I hope that you are having an enjoyable day together with your loved ones and celebrating the caregivers in your lives. These times have shown us how important family, friends, and our community are.

High School GraduationsThis weekend, highseniors picked up their caps and gowns and took photographs in preparation for virtual graduations to celebrate our Class of 2020. In the weeks ahead, please join with us in honoring and celebrating students in PUSD’s Class of 2020. Ceremonies will be streamed June 24-26. Details on how to watch and participate will be shared with you closer to the dates.

Plans for 2020-2021 School YearAs modifications are being made to the Safer at Home orders, PUSD is moving forward with plans for the new school year, which begins August 17 for students. Although we cannot determine what the public health conditions will be at that time, we are planning along two paths: the resumption of in-person instruction with protocols for physical distancing and safety, and the possibility of a resumption in distance learning with a continuum of learning alternatives for families. As plans develop, we are committed to making this a collaborative process. Our decisions will continue to be guided by the local health situation and made in conjunction with local public health authorities. We are committed to keeping our students, staff, and community healthy and safe.

We will be closely monitoring the Governor’s announcement this week for the May revision of the State’s budget. Details about the impact of COVID-19 on PUSD are in the message shared with you on May 8. Read the message here. We will continue to advocate for actions by the Governor that can mitigate the need for drastic reductions and will keep you informed about any developments.

2020-2021 Online RegistrationPUSD is using an online registration for TK-12 grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Details here. To register for preschool, please contact the Early Childhood Education Program here or email earlychildeducation@pusd.us for information.

Student MealsPUSD Food & Nutrition Services continues to offer free meals to children 18 and younger at seven Grab & Go Food Centers. PUSD serves prepackaged curbside breakfast and lunch weekdays from 9 - 11 a.m. The City of Pasadena offers lunch for students and their families on weekends. More information

P-EBT CardsDue to Coronavirus (COVID-19), children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school will get extra food benefits. These food benefits are called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits help families in California buy food when schools are closed because of the coronavirus emergency. Families will get up to $365 per eligible child on their P-EBT card to use on food and groceries. Families with children who get CalFresh, Medi-Cal or Foster Care benefits do not need to apply. Most families will get their P-EBT card from the State of California in the mail during the month of May. Families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals and who do not get their P-EBT card in the mail, must apply online before June 30, 2020. The online application will launch in late May at at https://ca.p-ebt.org

History/Social Studies Instructional Material Public ReviewPUSD is adopting new History/Social Studies instructional materials (textbooks, technology-based materials, other educational materials, and tests) for use by kindergarten through fifth eight (K–5) students. PUSD is piloting and considering TCI's Social Studies Alive! for adoption. Parents/guardians and members of the public are encouraged to review and provide input on the instructional material now being considered for adoption and use in PUSD's K-5 History/Social Studies. TCI's Social Studies Alive! material and public comment form are available in English and Spanish at: gopusd.com/historyreview

Stay ConnectedPlease continue to check our dedicated website at pusd.us/covid19 for the latest information or call the PUSD Family Hotline at 626.396.3680.

May 8, 2020 California's Proposed Budget Impact on PUSD

Dear PUSD Community,

In advance of the release of the Governor’s revised budget next week, yesterday, Governor Newsom and the California Department of Finance released a memo about the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the California economy. The news is devastating. Public schools are projected to lose more than $18 billion in Proposition 98 state funding. That means that PUSD could lose more than $35 million in state funding for the 2020-21 fiscal year alone, which is equivalent to a -22% cost of living adjustment (COLA). This will require the district to enact unimaginable cuts unless mitigation steps are implemented or changes are made quickly to the way that California public schools are funded

Public schools receive approximately 40 percent of the state’s General Fund revenue through the Proposition 98 formula. In Gov. Newsom’s January budget proposal, schools were expected to receive $84 billion through Proposition 98. The new fiscal outlook projects Proposition 98 funding will drop by $18.3 billion since the Governor’s January budget proposal.

At the same time, costs are expected to rise drastically as we implement social distancing in the classrooms and throughout the school day, provide alternatives to in-person learning, sanitize schools and offices, and provide personal protective equipment in the 2020-2021 school year. The required additional expenditures combined with reductions in State funding, based on the Proposition 98 formula, would require devastating reductions to the PUSD operating budget.

Schools are crucial to reopening the economy, we are urging Governor Newsom and the California State Legislature to provide for some relief from the state’s rainy day fund, and to advocate for additional federal stimulus funding directly to schools.

Budgets are a reflection of values, and we are asking the state and federal governments to show their commitment to students and the future of this country.

PUSD joined with neighboring school districts to advocate for actions by the Governor that could mitigate the need for such drastic cuts. These include the freezing of PERS/STRS increases at the current year level and relief from strict adherence to the 3% reserve for economic uncertainty in each year of the rolling three-year budget cycle.

In May of each year, we recognize the teachers, educators, administrators, certificated, and classified employees of PUSD who work tirelessly to fulfill our mission of providing a caring, engaging, and challenging educational experience for every child, in every classroom, every day.

Teacher Appreciation WeekMay 4 - 8, 2020, is Teacher Appreciation Week. With the physical closure of schools, the impact that teachers have on the lives of children and families is clear. Our teachers are doing great work with distance learning to ensure that students reach their full potential. This week, please join with us in recognizing the work of teachers, educators in schools and district offices, and all certificated employees.

2020-2021 School YearPUSD is scheduled to begin the school year in mid-August and that has not changed at this time. To maintain social distancing and safety measures in the new school year, we are studying all possibilities and working with legislators to ensure that public schools in California are equipped and funded. Our decisions will continue to be guided by the local health situation and made in conjunction with local public health authorities. We are committed to keeping our students, staff, and community healthy and safe. We will keep you updated about any changes or modifications to the upcoming school year.

High School GraduationsOur high school seniors are living a year that none of us ever imagined for them. We know that our seniors and their families/caregivers are feeling the loss of these special times with friends, classmates, and teachers. We feel that loss with them. We had hoped that we would be able to hold traditional in-person high school graduation ceremonies as scheduled at the end of May. But based on the senior survey results and taking into account public health concerns, we have instead planned virtual live-streamed graduation ceremonies in June. We are fully committed to celebrating our seniors with this online ceremony and will plan an in-person event when the Governor and public health authorities determine it is safe to do so.

At this time we are planning celebrations for rising 5th and 8th graders. Although these will not be formal promotions, we will celebrate our students.

PUSD COVID-19 Protocols for Entry by Essential Employees to District Sites Effective May 4, 2020Although this section is directed at PUSD employees, we want to inform families and the general public about the measures that PUSD is taking to keep our community healthy and safe.

To meet the needs of our students while maintaining the safety of all employees, students, families, and our community during COVID-19, PUSD is implementing protocols for entry onto District property by PUSD essential employees effective May 4, 2020. All District schools and offices remain closed to the public and to non-essential employees and individuals without exception until further notice.

Schools: All District school sites are closed to non-essential employees and individuals without exception effective May 4, 2020, and until the Governor’s Executive Order is lifted. Essential school site employees (custodial, food service, maintenance employees) are permitted on campus during work hours. Non-essential employees and individuals (all other classified, certificated, administrative, principals, vice principals, volunteers, children, contractors, City of Pasadena employees with the exception of Police and Fire, and the general public) will not be allowed onto any District site at any time without express advance permission.

Non-essential school site employees must request school site access in writing from their principal or site supervisor 24 hours in advance. The principal/site supervisor will review and forward requests to a district-level Designated School Closure Coordinator.

If access is granted to non-essential individuals, the access time and location will be identified in writing. Access will be granted to a specific location on the school site for a specific and limited time.

Individuals granted access are required to conform with all CDC, State, County, and City health social distancing guidelines.

Individuals granted access must confine themselves to their normal work stations as much as possible.

Education Center, District Service Center, Warehouse: The Education Center, District Service Center (DSC) and Warehouse remain closed to non-essential employees and individuals without exception effective May 4, 2020, and until the Governor’s Executive Order is lifted. Essential District site employees are defined as custodial, food service, maintenance employees, the Superintendent, Chiefs, and designated classifications on Attachment A. Non-essential employees and individuals (all other classified, certificated, administrative, principals, vice principals, volunteers, children, contractors, City of Pasadena employees with the exception of Police and Fire, and the general public) will not be allowed onto District sites at any time.

Only essential District site employees and individuals with express advance permission are permitted entry to the District’s Education Center

Entry to the District’s Education Center by essential District site employees and those with express permission is limited to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Individuals granted access to the District’s Education Center are required to sign in and out and must identify exact locations and areas they will visit. They must confine themselves to their normal work stations as much as possible.

Individuals granted access are required to conform with all CDC, State, County, and City health social distancing guidelines.

For full details, see the April 20, 2020, MOU between PUSD and Teamsters Local 911 here

2020-2021 Online RegistrationPUSD is using an online registration for TK-12 grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Details here. To register for preschool, please contact the Early Childhood Education Program here or email earlychildeducation@pusd.us for information.

Family Engagement ServicesPlease check the Family Engagement PowerSchool page for information about virtual Parent University workshops and scheduled District Parent Group Meetings. Live-streamed and pre-recorded sessions of Parent University workshops feature topics such as social-emotional trauma, vaping, and school safety among others. Workshop topics and district parent group meeting sessions are updated on a weekly basis, allowing users to attend as many virtual sessions as they like. Visit the Family Engagement PowerSchool here.

Stay ConnectedPlease continue to check our dedicated website at pusd.us/covid19 for the latest information or call the PUSD Family Hotline at 626.396.3680.

We continue to follow Safer at Home public health orders and will communicate with you as information develops.

PUSD COVID-19 Protocols for Entry by Essential Employees to District Sites Effective May 4, 2020

PUSD COVID-19 Protocols for Entry by Essential Employees to District Sites Effective May 4, 2020Although this section is directed at PUSD employees, we want to inform families and the general public about the measures that PUSD is taking to keep our community healthy and safe.

To meet the needs of our students while maintaining the safety of all employees, students, families, and our community during COVID-19, PUSD is implementing protocols for entry onto District property by PUSD essential employees effective May 4, 2020. All District schools and offices remain closed to the public and to non-essential employees and individuals without exception until further notice.

Schools: All District school sites are closed to non-essential employees and individuals without exception effective May 4, 2020, and until the Governor’s Executive Order is lifted. Essential school site employees (custodial, food service, maintenance employees) are permitted on campus during work hours. Non-essential employees and individuals (all other classified, certificated, administrative, principals, vice principals, volunteers, children, contractors, City of Pasadena employees with the exception of Police and Fire, and the general public) will not be allowed onto any District site at any time without express advance permission.

Non-essential school site employees must request school site access in writing from their principal or site supervisor 24 hours in advance. The principal/site supervisor will review and forward requests to a district-level Designated School Closure Coordinator.

If access is granted to non-essential individuals, the access time and location will be identified in writing. Access will be granted to a specific location on the school site for a specific and limited time.

Individuals granted access are required to conform with all CDC, State, County, and City health social distancing guidelines.

Individuals granted access must confine themselves to their normal work stations as much as possible.

Education Center, District Service Center, Warehouse: The Education Center, District Service Center (DSC) and Warehouse remain closed to non-essential employees and individuals without exception effective May 4, 2020, and until the Governor’s Executive Order is lifted. Essential District site employees are defined as custodial, food service, maintenance employees, the Superintendent, Chiefs, and designated classifications on Attachment A. Non-essential employees and individuals (all other classified, certificated, administrative, principals, vice principals, volunteers, children, contractors, City of Pasadena employees with the exception of Police and Fire, and the general public) will not be allowed onto District sites at any time.

Only essential District site employees and individuals with express advance permission are permitted entry to the District’s Education Center

Entry to the District’s Education Center by essential District site employees and those with express permission is limited to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Individuals granted access to the District’s Education Center are required to sign in and out and must identify exact locations and areas they will visit. They must confine themselves to their normal work stations as much as possible.

Individuals granted access are required to conform with all CDC, State, County, and City health social distancing guidelines.

For full details, see the April 20, 2020, MOU between PUSD and Teamsters Local 911 here

April 29, 2020 PUSD Message (possible early opening of 2020-21 school year)

April 29, 2020

Dear PUSD Community,

During his daily update yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom suggested that schools start the 2020-21 academic year earlier. We are awaiting more details since an earlier start involves many issues that need to be resolved.

The Pasadena Unified School District is already scheduled to begin school in mid-August, and that has not changed at this time. As you know, this is a fluid situation.

We remain committed to keeping our students, staff, and community healthy and safe. Our decisions will be guided by the local health situation and made in conjunction with local public health authorities. We continue to monitor developments and will keep you updated about any changes or modifications to the upcoming school year.

April 26, 2020 PUSD Message (Family Survey, Grading Policy)

April 26, 2020

Dear PUSD Community,

As we begin our seventh week of remote instruction and learning, I want to thank you all for everything you are doing to support the students of the Pasadena Unified School District. We are fortunate to have a hard-working staff, dedicated students, supportive parents and caregivers, and caring community partners.

I am so proud of the PUSD team! School principals, teachers, and staff at schools are working hard to lift students’ spirits. For example, Altadena Arts Magnet Principal Benita Scheckel hosts Storytime with the Principal on Facebook Live, posts videos regularly, and led a car parade of teachers and administrators to drive by students’ homes. Blair High School Principal David Ibarra and faculty saluted seniors with a dance video. Marshall Fundamental Principal Mark Anderson and the Marshall Staff Masked Singers also created a fun and engaging video. There are many more stories like these, and I will keep sharing these with you.

To better understand how PUSD and our community partners can best serve our students, staff, families, and caregivers during the physical closure of our schools, PUSD is conducting a Family Needs Assessment Survey. We invite you to participate in a short 3 to 5-minute confidential survey. The survey ends on May 3, 2020. We appreciate your anticipated participation.

Below is information for the coming week that I hope will be helpful to you.

Grading Policy: PUSD has altered its grading policy in collaboration with the United Teachers of Pasadena (UTP) to ensure that students and staff are equitably supported for success and in accordance with the California Department of Education’s guidance that “no student should be harmed through grading during COVID-19 and extended distance learning.” Beginning on March 16, 2020, and ending on May 28, 2020, grading will be as follows:

Middle and High School: Middle and High School students will receive grades from A-D only during marking periods 7 and 8 and the final semester grade. Student grades marked on March 13, 2020, are the lowest grade any student can receive during this time. Students who received an “F” as of March 13 will be given additional opportunities to increase their grade if afforded access to their classes and teachers. Students will not be assigned “Incomplete,” “F” or “NG” grades if they are unable to increase their grade during the Extended Distance Learning time due to their inability to access their education for technology and/or social emotional reasons.

Rose City High School: March 13 was the last day of Quarter 3 at Rose City High School, a model continuation school. Remote learning began on March 16, the same day as the school’s start of Quarter 4. Rose City High School students will receive a grade no lower than “C” for this Quarter and receive five full credits per course.

Graduation RequirementsIn support of our seniors in the Class of 2020, the PUSD graduation requirements have been slightly modified for completion of community service/work-based learning hours and the graduate defense.

2020-2021 Online Enrollment PUSD is moving to an online enrollment process for 2020-2021. District staff is finalizing the new online enrollment process for new students and Open Enrollment second lottery participants for the 2020-2021 school year. The online enrollment process and registration dates for second lottery participants will be shared with you this week. Waitlists for second lottery participants will be maintained until August 7, 2020. Families should periodically sign into their Smart Choice account to determine their waitlist status. If you have specific questions regarding open enrollment, please contact the Office of Enrollment, Permits, and Student Records.

Stay ConnectedPlease continue to check our dedicated website at pusd.us/covid19 for the latest information or call the PUSD Family Hotline at 626.396.3680.

We continue to follow Safer at Home public health orders and will communicate with you as information develops.

Grading Policy During COVID-19

To ensure that students and staff are equitably supported for success and in accordance with the California Department of Education’s guidance that “no student should be harmed through grading during COVID-19 and extended distance learning,” PUSD has altered its grading policy, in collaboration with the United Teachers of Pasadena (UTP). March 13, 2020 was the last day that students were physically in classrooms. Beginning on March 16, 2020 and ending on May 28, 2020,

Middle and High School: Middle and High School students will receive grades from A-D only duringmarking periods 7 and 8, and the final semester grade. Student grades marked on March 13, 2020 are thelowest grade any student can receive during this time. Students who received an “F” as of March 13 will begiven additional opportunities to increase their grade if afforded access to their classes and teachers.Students will not be assigned “incomplete,” “F” or “NG” grades if they are unable to increase their gradeduring the Extended Distance Learning time due to their inability to access their education for technologyand/or social emotional reasons.

Rose City High School: March 13 was the last day of Quarter 3 at Rose City High School, a modelcontinuation school. Remote learning began on March 16, the same day as the school’s start of Quarter 4.Rose City High School students will receive a grade no lower than “C” for this Quarter, and receive fivefull credits per course.